Combined multilight incandescent lamp and switch



A. F. BAHLKE April 16, 1940.

\ COMBINED IULTILIGHT INCANDESCENT LAMP AND SWITCH 2 Sheets-She t FiledOct. 24, 1938 April 1940- A.'F. BAHLKE' 2.197.330

' COIBINED MULTILIGHT INCANDESCENT LAMP AND SWITCH Filed Oct. 24, 192582 Sheets-Sheet 2 I A I I I ,ENT 1 1% Wf% M1T0NEY Patented Apr. 16, 1940PATENT OFFICE COMBINED MULTILIGHT INOANDESCENT LAMP AND SWITCH Alfred P.Bahlke, Scotch Plains, N. J.. assignor to Utility Electric Corp.,Newark, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationOctober 24, 1938,Serial No. 286,813

1 Claim.

Many incandescent electric lamps today are manufactured with a pluralityof filaments of different wattages related and combined with each otherso that they may be placed in the electric circuit either separately orall together so as to secure at will illumination of varying degrees ofintensity. The invention relates particularly to multilight lampswherein each filament has the same characteristics as that of anordinary one filament lamp of the same wattage, as distinguished fromthe old so-called turndown lamps having two filaments so related thatwhen they are connected in series one will glow while when one isshort-circuited the other will glow.

A prime object of my invention is to produce such a combined multilightincandescent electric lamp and switch that shall embody novel andimproved features of construction, whereby the combination shall besimple and inexpensive and reliable and durable.

Another object is to provide a combination of the character describedwherein all of the switch parts shall be mounted on the exterior of thelamp for easy assembly and for easy access for operation.

Other objects are to provide a combined electric incandescent lamp andswitch wherein the switch shall include an operating ring rotatablecoaxially with the lamp so that the switch can be easily reached andoperated; and to obtain other advantages and results as will be broughtout by the following description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined eletric incandescent lamp andswitch.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2,the lamp bulb or envelope being shown in side elevation.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view showingthe connection of one of the switch contacts to the shell terminal ofthe lamp base.

Figure 6 is a, similar view showing the connection to the shell terminalof one of the switch contacts for the lamp filaments.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line 1-1 of Figure 3 withthe lamp bulb and base shown in side elevation.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line two filaments B and Care of different wattage,

and in accordance with'the invention are energized either individuallyor together as may be desired.

The lamp also includes a base G which is of generally known constructionincluding an outer screw threaded conducting shell terminal I to bescrewed into 'an electric lamp socket, and a central terminal 2. thefilaments B and C is permanently connected to one of the terminals ofthe base, in the present instance the terminal 2. In accordance with theinvention, a switch for controlling the circuits through the filaments Band C is mounted on the base G, preferably exteriorly thereof.

As shown, a switch contact is provided for the respective terminals Eand F of the filaments B and C, and for convenience these switchcontacts are designated 3 and 4., The contacts are identical and eachcomprises a spring strip 5 one end of which has an opening 6 throughwhich passes a hollow rivet or other suitable fastening means I forconnecting the contact to The common terminal D of go the base shellterminal I adjacent the bulb A. 35

Each of the contacts 3 and 4 is insulated from the shell terminal I byfiber or other suitable bushings 8. Preferably the contacts 3 and 4 arespaced circumferentially of the shell terminal as clearly shown inFigure 3.

Other similar contacts 9 and III are electrically connected to the shellterminal I by rivets ii, there being no insulating bushings between therivets II and the shell terminal and contacts. These contacts 9 and IIIare also preferably spaced circumferentially of the shell terminal andin approximately the same plane with the contacts 3 and 4 that is normalto the axis of the shell terminal.

The various contacts 3, 4, 3 and I0 cooperate with a switch operatingmember that is shown in the form of a sectional ring 1-! of insulatingmaterial which is rotatably mounted on the base G. Preferably the ringis mounted to rotate coaxially with the base in overlying relation tothe contacts 9, it, 9 and It and the ring is formed of two approximatelysemi-circular or sectorshaped complemental sections that are applied tothe base in the general plane normal to the axis of the base. Thesections are separably connected together by any suitable means such asa metal split spring ring i2 seated in an exterior circumferentialgroove ii in the ring The interior surface oi. the ring H has a groove Hwhich is of a width and depth to freely receive the riveted ends of thecontacts as shown in Figures 3 and 8, and in the base of the groove i lis a second groove I5 of a width to freely slidably receive the reducedcontacting ends 01 the contacts 3, 4, 9 and it. With this construction,the contacts are entirely housed and concealed within the ring, and holdthe ring against axial movement longitudinally of the base.

In the groove 85 of the operating ring 1-! is a segmentalconductor itwhich as shown is substantially equal in length to one of the sectionsof the ring, said conductor serving to electrically connect the filamentcontacts 3 and It with the shell 8 through the contacts 9 and i0, uponrotation of the ring H. The contact strips are of resilient nature so asto constantly maintain spring frictional contact with the base or thegroove 85 or the conductor it.

The contacts 3, t, 9 and it are so spaced and the length of theconductor is so related to the spacing of th contacts as to insure thatat least one of the contacts 9 or it and either one or both of thecontacts 3 and it may at the same time engage the conductor it, wherebythe filaments B and Cmay be energized either indi-.

vidually or together, or both filaments may be completely deenergized.In operation, referring to Figure 9, the ring 1-! is so positioned thatthe conductor it engages only the contacts 9 and ill so that bothfilaments B and C are deenergized. In Figure 10, the'conductor ISengages the contact l0 and the contact 3 whereby only the filament B isenergized, while in Figure 11 the conductor i6 engages both of thecontacts 3 and 4 and the contact 9 so that both filaments B and C areenergized. Figure 12 shows the conductor i6 engaging the contact 9 andthe contact l so that only the filament C is energized.

It will be observed that the switch can be easily operated by simplygripping the ring H between the thumb and index finger of one hand androtating the ring coaxially with the base.

To facilitate this action, the ring may have serrated or roughenedsurfaces l1, and the outer periphery of the ring may be polygonal.Preterably the ring H is rotatable in the same direction that the lampis screwed into a socket, so that rotation 01' the switch ring will notloosen or unscrew the lamp in the socket. If desired, suitable means maybe provided for positively preventing rotation of the ring in theopposite I direction.

Obviously the details of structure of the lamp and switch, the number offilaments, and the number and arrangement of the switch contacts, may bewidely modified and changed by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A combined multi-filament electric incandescent lamp and switch, comrising a base having a shell terminal and a central terminal, a bulb, aplurality of filaments in said bulb, and means for energizing saidfilaments selectively, individually and together, including a directcommon electrical connection between one terminal of each of saidfilaments and said central terminal of the base, a plurality of contactsmounted exteriorly on said shell terminal in spaced relationcircumierentially thereof, certain of said contacts being electricallyinsulated from said shell terminal with one thereof electricallyconnected to the other terminal of each filament, and at least one otherof said contacts being directly electrically connected to said shellterminal, and a switch operating-ring rotatable coaidally on said baseexteriorly thereof and having a conduct-or to electrically connectselectively individually and together the first mentioned contacts tothe secondmentioned contact upon rotation of said switch operating ringin one direction.

ALFRED F. BAHLKE.

